When the wheel journaling end of the axle of a vehicle such as a semi-trailer or other heavy load carrying vehicle becomes damaged beyond repair (such as occurs when wheel bearings become excessively overheated) it is necessary either to replace the axle or to renew the axle end by cutting the old damaged axle end therefrom and replacing the same with a new stub end. If the axle is to be replaced, it is of course necessary to remove the old axle and all of the attendant brake and axle suspension components therefrom and to thereafter install the new axle, all of which involves considerable expense in parts and labor. Further, in the past if a damaged axle was to have the end thereof renewed by cutting the old damaged end from the axle and the replacement of the damaged axle by new axle stub end, it was also necessary to remove the axle and transport the same to a machine shop in which the damaged end could be removed and the replacement stub end could be installed by precision equipment. Here again, this involves not only considerable expense from a labor and parts standpoint but also involves machining costs and considerable "down time" of the associated vehicle.
Accordingly, a need exists for an apparatus and method of renewing an axle end by the removal of the damaged end thereof and the mounting of a replacement stub end on the axle with a minimum of parts and labor cost and a minimum of "down time".
The instant invention involves the provision and the utilization of a jig by which a damaged axle end may be accurately cut from an axle while the latter remains on the associated vehicle and a replacement stub end may be secured to the axle, even at a roadside site with the only tools being required comprising conventional wheel and wheel brake backing plate removal tools and a cutting and welding torch.
In this manner, the cost involved in towing a disabled semi-trailer to a garage area, the labor expense involved in fully removing the damaged axle and machine shop costs may be eliminated or substantially reduced. Further, the "down time" of a semi-trailer as a result of an axle end repair accomplished through the utilization of the jig of the instant invention may be reduced from approximately 24 hours to 4 hours.
Examples of various jigs and other similar structures including some of the general structural and operational features of the instant invention are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,405,541, 2,680,287, 3,176,378, 3,529,339 and 3,759,258.